Looks Like YouTube For Android TV Is Getting A New Look

It is unclear how widespread the availability is at the moment, and the Google Play Store still lists the last YouTube for Android TV update as July 22, 2019. However, the new look has been detailed extensively by A-hAAn who appears to already have access to the update.

It might not look as though much has actually changed on first impressions. The closer you look though and the more you'll begin to notice an icon redesign.

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This is in addition to a change in how a user navigates to different locations withing the app.

The most obvious change in this respect is the side menu and its greater number of options. These are not new options in terms of where they go as they were previously available elsewhere within the app. Instead, it is their placement that has now changed.

YouTube's greater focus on what it wants you to see

Entertainment, Music, Gaming, and Latest all now appear along with Home, Subscriptions and Library in the side menu. Previously, Entertainment, Music, Gaming, and Latest were only visible once the user landed on Home.

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The downside is the more inclusive menu means some of the current options have fallen further down the list. For example, while Subscriptions and Library are still at the bottom of the list, the list is now longer. This means getting to those personal-based sections will require a few more clicks than before.

While it is only a few more clicks, it does indicate an approach by Google to further prioritize suggested content over the speed of accessing content a user has personally opted to see.

Not just for content

The icons themselves have also changed with A-hAAn pointing out how they are now far more in line with the icon look and style in use with Android 10.

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As part of the icon redesign, the icon for the user's account has also moved and is now being given more prominence. Previously, the user's icon (used to access account information) was located in the bottom-left of the screen. Following the update it now appears in the top-left corner.

This is where the YouTube logo currently resides and the knock-on effect of this is the YouTube logo has now moved to the the top-right corner. It also now means the account and general settings sections have been separated. Unlike the new account section, the settings section remains in the same place as before.

This is the extent of the changes known for now but Android TV users can see the new look in action in the video below.

John has been writing about and reviewing tech products since 2014 after making the transition from writing about and reviewing airlines. With a background in Psychology, John has a particular interest in the science and future of the industry. Besides adopting the Managing Editor role at AH John also covers much of the news surrounding audio and visual tech, including cord-cutting, the state of Pay-TV, and Android TV. Contact him at [email protected]